Adjara: Colchic Forests, Trails and Culture

In Adjara, Colchic forests meet wetlands, mountain flora and historic trails. The World Heritage site “Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands” includes Mtirala National Park in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara; it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021. The region’s Colchic forests preserve relict and endemic tree and flower species, as well as rare animal species. Mtirala National Park is also home to rare endemic species of the Adjara-Lazeti region, including several listed in Georgia’s Red List of protected species.

Forests, wetlands and plant diversity

Machakhela National Park also combines a specific landscape figure with its location: it lies in Khelvachauri Municipality in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, and about 95 percent of its area is covered by forest and dense scrub. Kintrishi National Park covers 13,514 hectares and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Kobuleti Protected Areas safeguard habitats for unique waterbird species and serve as a refuge for migratory, breeding and wintering birds. Together, these natural attractions range from forests and mountain landscapes to wetlands and bird habitats.

For seasonal wildlife watching, the coast offers a specific time frame: from mid-August to mid-October, thousands of birds of prey from 32 species pass along Adjara’s ten-kilometer coastline. The botanical gardens showcase another aspect of plant diversity. At the Goderdzi Alpine Botanical Garden in Adjara’s mountainous region, 170 wild flora species from 111 genera and 50 families have been recorded. Batumi Botanical Garden comprises nine floristic regions, three parks and a Colchic reserve; it is home to about 1,800 woody and 5,000 herbaceous plants.

Routes with different time commitments

The trails differ considerably in length, duration and mode of travel. The Machakhela Gun Road is a marked, easy 39-kilometer historic and cultural route that takes two days. It lies in Khelvachauri Municipality, which is known for the tradition of making Machakhela guns and heirloom daggers. The Kokoleti Trail takes six hours and is 15 kilometers long in total, but it is not entirely a walking route: six kilometers pass on foot through pristine Colchic forest, while the remaining nine kilometers to the last inhabited homestead in Kokoleti village are covered by vehicle.

Kintrishi National Park has marked and maintained routes of varying difficulty. These include a one-day hike to the Varjanauli and Tskhemvani arch bridges, and a two-day hiking and horseback tour to Utgovari and Lake Tbikeli. The stated durations make it easier to compare these tours with the six-hour combination of driving and hiking on the Kokoleti Trail or the two-day Machakhela route. Mtirala National Park has clearly marked one- and two-day routes, designated areas for picnics, camping and campfires, and a tourist shelter at the ninth kilometer of the trail. Check that trails and facilities are currently accessible before setting out.

The Kobuleti Protected Areas have three easy hiking trails: “Ispani 2,” “White Moss” and “Drosera.” Special wooden bog skis are provided for the designated one-hectare section of the sphagnum bog. Another specific route leads from Khikhadziri village to Khikhani Fortress: the trail is eight kilometers long and can be covered on foot or by off-road vehicle.

History, regional cuisine and getting around

Culture and history also add different dimensions to a trip through Adjara. Gonio-Apsaros Fortress endured Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule in the region. The Machakhela Gun Road highlights the tradition of guns and heirloom daggers; in Khulo, visitors are encouraged to try Kaymagi, Borano, Sinori and Nagbibora. This makes it possible to include historic sites, regional craft traditions and food as distinct themes in your travel plans.

Adjara can be reached by air and by road, rail and sea. Ten tourist information centers provide free printed maps and guides in Georgian, Russian and English, including information about recreation in the region and routes in the mountainous part of Adjara. Center details may change; check in advance what information is currently available. When looking for a hotel, you can plan your trip around whether forests and hiking trails, wetlands, historic routes or regional cuisine are your main focus.

Discover more destinations: Keda, Sakhalvasho, Mirveti, Machakhlispiri, Kokhi, Buknari, Kharaula, Khelvachauri, Gomarduli, Gorgadzeebi, Namlisevi, Khala, Chakvistavi, Bako, Kapreshumi, Danisparauli, Khulo.

For the broader travel overview: Georgia.